Background: On the morning of August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, a category-4 storm, moved out of the Atlantic Basin through the Gulf of Mexico and slammed into the gulf coast of the United States. By the time the storm had moved on, more than 1,500 people were missing and presumed dead, an estimated one million people had fled for their lives, and a dozen or more coastal cities and towns within a 90,000 square mile area were devastated. Damages were estimated at over $130 billion, making it the most costly natural disaster in the history of the country.

IRD in the United States: Within a few days of Katrina, IRD sent a team to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to assess how best to contribute to relief and recovery efforts. Within a month, IRD had distributed nine tractor-trailer loads of food, water, clothing and health supplies to Biloxi, Gulfport, and other coastal towns in Mississippi. The supplies included everything from meals and hygiene products to bicycles and stuffed animals.

In addition to responding to emergency needs, IRD is committed to implementing long-term development programs that target the vulnerable communities along the Gulf Coast. In November 2005, IRD established a Gulf Coast Social Services Center in Gulfport. to assist hurricane survivors as they navigate the maze of existing social services while providing assistance with legal services and financial planning. While IRD staffs the center, local caseworkers and professional volunteers play a critical role in facilitating community outreach and assistance for survivors.

IRD US is a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to reducing the suffering of the United States’ most vulnerable groups and providing the tools and resources needed to increase their self-sufficiency, and is affiliated with IRD.

For more information on IRD US, please click here.

Programs

• Hurricane Katrina Relief Supplies
• Gulf Coast Community Counseling

Highlights

• Hurricane Katrina One Year Later: Rebuilding America’s Gulf Coast – Q&A with Program Officer Lara Evans
• AmeriCares Awards Grant to IRD for Gulf Coast Community Service Center
• Interview with Lara Evans

Success Stories

• Rebuilding The Gulf Coast Of The United States: Success Stories from the GCCSC

Press Releases

• IRD US Announces $250,000 Grant for the Gulf Coast Community Service Center
• IRD Gulf Coast Community Service Center Receives Outstanding Service Award
• IRD Meets with Senator Lott to Discuss Rebuilding Gulf Coast
• IRD Gulf Coast Facility Recognized by Mississippi Governor
• IRD Hires New Program Manager for Mississippi Community Development Initiatives
• IRD Delivers Truckloads of Supplies to Vietnamese Community in East Biloxi, MS
• IRD Lends Immediate Hand in Gulfport, Looks to Long-Term Rebuilding
• IRD Working With Mississippi Partners to Assist Hurricane Katrina Victims
• IRD Coordinates Delivery of Two Truckloads of Water, Hygiene Kits to Slidell, Louisiana
• IRD to Provide Long-Term Assistance to Hurricane Katrina Victims
• IRD to Deploy Relief Assessment Team to Areas Destroyed by Hurricane

Contact
Lori West
Gulf Coast Katrina Recovery Program
Program Manager

Gulfport/Biloxi Office:
1600 30th Avenue, Suite 202
Gulfport, MS 39501 USA
Phone: 228-596-5226
Fax: 228-864-6979